Logitech Swytch

1 Logitech Swytch Hands-on testing of an innovative meeting room solution that adds BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) support to PC-based video conferencing rooms. November 2020 This evaluation sponsored by: 2020 Recon Research | | Page 2 Background Founded in 1981, Logitech International ( Logitech ) is a leading PC peripheral manufacturer offering webcams, keyboards, standard and gaming computer mice, PC speakers, mobile speakers, tablet accessories, home control devices and remotes, and more. In 2011, Logitech formed the Logitech Video collaboration division, which offers a wide range of products and accessories targeting business and enterprise users.

2 Members of our team have used and evaluated numerous offerings from the company s business division, including Logitech BRIO, Logitech GROUP, Logitech MeetUp, Logitech Rally, and Logitech Tap. In August 2020, Logitech announced Swytch an auto-switching solution that lets users host video meetings on a laptop using the meeting room AV peripherals (USB mics, speakers, and camera) already connected to systems like Zoom Rooms, Microsoft Teams Rooms, and Google Meet Hardware Kits. In November 2020, Logitech commissioned the Recon Research (RR) test team to perform an independent, third-party assessment of Logitech Swytch .

3 This document contains the results of our hands-on testing of Logitech Swytch . The Evolution of Meeting Room Video In the last decade, the meeting room video conferencing market has experienced material changes in many areas, including hardware, software, the total cost of ownership (TCO), time to benefit, ease of use, ease of management, and more. Area Yesterday Today Hardware Proprietary PC-based systems Standard operating systems Software Proprietary Apps designed for use on PCs running standard operating systems Cost of Ownership (TCO) High up-front cost High ongoing cost Low up-front cost Low ongoing cost Time to Benefit Slow often months Fast often just a few hours Ease of Use Weak proprietary UIs, complex workflows Strong familiar UIs, streamlined workflows ( , Click to Join) Ease of Management Weak proprietary systems Strong simplified using cloud portals Scale (Deployments)

4 Typically Low Significantly Higher Figure 1: Meeting Room Video Conferencing - Shifts in the Last Decade The changes above helped transform video conferencing from an intellectual curiosity into a core business tool used by millions of people every day. However, the tectonic shift shaking the industry (and its stakeholders) to its core is the ongoing migration from standards-based (SIP, ) video conferencing systems to service-attached systems that leverage cloud service platforms from providers like Microsoft, Zoom, and Google. 2020 Recon Research | | Page 3 The graphic below highlights several examples of service-attach bundles.

5 Figure 2: Logitech Room Solutions for Zoom, Teams, and Google Each of the Logitech Room Solutions depicted above includes the following: - A mini-PC pre-loaded with the respective service provider s meeting-room software application Zoom Rooms, Microsoft Teams Room, or Google Meet - A Logitech MeetUp system (USB mic, speaker, and camera system) 1 - A Logitech Tap touch controller acting as the user interface for the solution Such bundles offer a compelling set of features and benefits. For example, these bundles are easy to purchase, cost-effective, and quick to install.

6 These solutions also offer strong ease of use as they use meeting-room-friendly versions of the personal collaboration apps that users already know and use. People already using Zoom Meetings on their desktop PC, laptop, or mobile device will feel right at home using the Zoom Rooms app in their meeting rooms. The same goes for people using Microsoft Teams and Google Meet. However, many of these solutions suffer from one fundamental flaw to simplify and streamline the user experience, they only support one collaboration Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) systems support the MTR app only.

7 The same goes for Zoom Rooms (ZR) and Google Meet room systems. Even if a participant brings a laptop running a different collaboration app to the meeting room, many of these video systems offer no easy way to connect that laptop to the installed AV peripherals and display. To be fair, this single-app, kiosk-like approach offers several advantages such as turnkey functionality and strong reliability. However, these pros come at the cost of flexibility. So, how can a user run additional collaboration apps in a seemingly locked meeting room environment? That s where Logitech Swytch comes in.

8 1 Within this study, the term USB video system will refer to a system that leverages external USB mics, speakers, and camera. 2 Technically speaking, admins could load additional collaboration apps onto the installed PCs within these systems. However, these third-party apps would not be easily accessible to standard meeting room users. 2020 Recon Research | | Page 4 Understanding Logitech Swytch Logitech Swytch is an auto-switching solution that adds BYOD capabilities to meeting rooms with video systems that use external USB AV peripherals (mics, speakers, camera) and HDMI BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) conferencing refers to the use of a participant s laptop to host a collaboration session within a meeting room.

9 BYOD allows the USB AV peripherals installed in a meeting room to be used with any collaboration app running on a user s laptop ( , Amazon Chime, BlueJeans Meetings, cisco webex , Facebook Workplace, Fuze Meetings, Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom Meetings, etc.). Practically speaking, Swytch allows customers to deploy video meeting rooms that, by default, use their preferred collaboration app ( , Zoom Rooms, Microsoft Teams Rooms, or Google Meet), but also allows the use of any collaboration app running on a user s laptop.

10 Logitech Swytch works with Windows, Mac, and Chromebook laptops with USB connections. Figure 3: Logitech Swytch Connector Cable (Left), Extender Unit with Connector Cable (Top Right), Hub (Bottom Right) A Logitech Swytch package includes the following: The Swytch Connector (Y) Cable that offers USB-C and USB-A connections for the user s laptop The Swytch Extender that is installed under the meeting room table and transmits the laptop s USB and video signals to the Hub. The Swytch Hub that is installed at the front of the room and acts as the system s traffic cop by automatically switching signals.